Hemmer



June 23, 1953 H. SHERMAN 2,642,827

HEIIIIER Filed Nov. 9. 1948 l/gawrim-wumv mmvrox Patented June 23, 1953 Harry'ShermanpNew York, N. Y., assignor to Ardsley' Curtain 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application November 9, 1948, Serial No. 59,075

Thisinvention relates generally to the field of hemmers-used in the sewing art and more p'are ticularly to improved hemmer construction for providing a self-weighted and self-reinforced edging on strip textile materials, for use as curtain panels.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide hemmer construction in which the free edge of a textile material is automatically provided with a plurality of folds in predetermined interrelation so that after leaving the hemmer they may be immediately stitched in place to produce a self-reinforced and self-weighted panel edging and border.

Another object herein lies in the provision of structure of the class described which shall permit a relatively easy starting of the fabric'edge therethrough so that there is a minimum delay in re-starting of the hemmer feeding between cloth bolt lengths. I

solainis. (01. 112-141) a panel edge'folding portion l3.

In accordance with'the invention the hemmer generally indicated by reference character I 9 includes broadly a base element II, a folding element 8 having a freeedge folding portion l2 and As best seen in Figures 1 and 2, the base element 1 l is preferably in the form of a flat plate having an upper surface I4, a lower surface l5; a front edge IS, a rear edge 11, a left side edge l8, a'right side edge l9, and an attaching member 20. The member is preferably in the form of an elongated spring strip having clamping fiII-n gers 2| and 22. The member 29 is detachably secured to the lower surface l 5 in a suitable manner as for example by the 's'crews23. The base element I I has theu'pper surface l4 thereof smooth,

Another object herein lies in the provision of a novel and useful hemmer in which certain of the parts are relatively flexible and resilient so that they will automatically accommodate for variations in the thickness, weight, weave, finish and similar qualities in the cloth as it proceeds through the hemmer.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that it is suitable for use with relatively light-weight textile fabrics such as are used in the production of window curtains, without deleteriously affecting the same as the cloth proceeds therethrough at a rate of speed provided by a highspeed commercial sewing machine.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and bepointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a hemmer showing a preferred embodiment of the invention. I

Figure 2 is a forward and-elevational view, as

would be seen from the lower portion of Figurel,

and the front edge [6 isdownwardly and forwardly bevelled (seeFig'. 5) so that'the easy entrance of the cloth base-fabric 9 is facilitated.

The portions 12 and-l3 are integral and are shiftable in position" with respect to the base element ll by the adjustable mounting members 24 and 25 which are provided with elongated slots25 and 21 through which are passed the screws 28 and 29. By the manipulation of said screws, the folding elemcntt may be shifted in a direction parallel tothe front edge IE to adjust the same in'pos'ition with respect to the sewing needles 30 and 3| of a sewing machine (not shown); the needle bars of which are indicated by reference characters 32 and 33.

The folding elementffl includes a bottom plate 36, the left'por'tionof which continues into a cone '38. Secured to the lower inner edge of the cone 38 is a top plate 40. Secured to and extendingoutwardly to'the' rightof the righthand edge of the bottom plate 36 is the panel edge folding element. 'I'he upper free edge of the element 42 overlies the right-hand free edge of the top plate 40. 5

The bottomplate 36,- the-cone 3B,"the top plate ll), and the folding element 42 are preferably composed of thin strong material which is relatively stiff. This materialis' desirably of "smooth exterior so that the 'base'fab'ric 9 may slide easily thereover. As shown in the drawings, these parts fmay'be formed from sheet metal and may be integrated by brazing or solderin'g. Thus the element 42 maybe'soldered at 46 to the adjustable mounting member'25 and to therighthand edge of the bottomf plate 36 at 48. Also the inner free edge portion of the cone 38 may be solderedto"the'lefthand' edge of the'top plate 40"at 50, 'andthe lower outer portion of the cone 38'; may be solderfed to-the inner edge of the adjustablamouiitingmember2'4 at 52.

The panel edge folding element 42 is of irregular configuration best seen in the drawings and includes an upper inverted U-shaped portion 54, a lower U-shaped portion 56, and a lateral V- shaped portion 58. The arms of the last mentioned V-shaped portion merge into the outer arms of the U-shaped portions 54 and 56.

Extending upwardly and forwardly from the top plate 40 is a first inner fold surface supporting member 60. The member 60 is of irregular configuration best seen on the drawings and includes a base portion 62 which is secured to the upper surface of the top plate 40, a laterally directed portion 64 and a curled portion 66. The member 60 is preferably composed of relatively stiff metallic wire. The base portion 62 may be secured to the upper surface of the plate 40 in any suitable manner as for example by the solder 68.

Secured to the upper surface of the plate 40 and extending rearwardly therefrom is a second inner fold surface supporting member 19. The member 10 includes a base portion 12, a rearwardly and upwardly directed portion 14 and a terminal portion 16. The base portion I2 is secured to the forward right corner of the top plate 48 in any suitable manner as for example by the solder 18. The member 19 is preferably composed of spring metallic wire which under the condition of equilibrium positions the terminal portion 16 above the upper inverted U-shaped portion 54, so that with said terminal portion 16 located within or below the upper inverted U- shaped portion 54, said terminal portion is normally urged in an upward direction. Located at the forward outer righthand corner of the top plate 40 is a third inner fold surface supporting member 80. This member 80 is preferably formed from a right angled bent piece of relatively thick metallic wire to produce a base portion 82, a bend portion 84 and a rearwardly extending portion 86. The member 88 may be secured to the top plate 40 by the solder 18 previously referred to.

The bottom plate 36 in the area below the supporting member 80 is downwardly bent to form an entrance lip 88. This is best seen in Figures 2 and 5.

While the top plate 40 is composed of relatively stiff material, the cone 38 is resilient to a degree sufllcient to permit the top plate 40 to be pushed downwardly in the direction of the bottom plate 36 to allow the upper surface 4| of said plate to become disengaged from the free edge 55 of the upper inverted U-shaped portion 54 to permit the insertion therebetween of the base fabric 9 and as will more fully appear, during the operation of the hemmer, the upper surface 4| and the terminal portion 16 exert an upward pressure upon the base fabric 9 against the hemmer parts lying thereabove, namely the edge 55 and the groove 53 formed on the inner lower surface of the upper inverted U-shaped portion 54.

One mode of operation of the present device is as follows:

The base fabric 9 is initially fed manually into the hemmer l so that the said fabric takes the position shown in Figures and 6. Thus the free edge 90 lies beneath the terminal 9| on the curled portion 66 of the supporting member 60 and as viewed from the front of the device, the base fabric 9 is rolled in-a counter-clockwise direction with a part 92 resting upon the bottom plate 36. and at portion 93 is pushed'downwardly by the The fabric 9 continues to the right I entrance lip 88 into the groove 51 of the lower U-shaped portion 56. The fabric is assisted in falling into the groove 51 by gravity. The fabric 9 then continues upwardly and at portion 94 is brought into engagement with the trough of the laterally V-shaped portion 58. The portion 94 is assisted in assuming this position by the bend portion 84 and the rearwardly extending portion 86 of the third supporting member 89.

The next portion 95 is folded within the groove 53 and is urged there by the terminal 16 and the portion 14 of the second supporting member 10. Thence the fabric 9 extends to the left at portion 96 overlying the upper surface of the top plate 40. The fabric 9 then extends outwardly to the left and at portion 96 rides or rests upon the crowned surface 39 of the cone 38 and at portion 91 is maintained in contact with the upper surface of the plate 40 by the resilient upward urging of said plate as previously described. At 98 the fabric continues outwardly to the left toward the central portion of the panel (not shown).

The fabric 9 during the operation of the hemmer I0 moves in the direction of the arrow 99 and the portions 93 and 95 are lapped against the portions 92 and 91 to produce a cross-sectional fabric configuration shown in Figure '7, to be there maintained by the row of stitches I00. The portions and 9| are flattened down and secured by the row of stitches llll, said stitches serving to collapse the folds or compress them for the production of the finished article. The stitches I00 and I0! are placed by the needles 3| and 30, respectively and said stitches may be of any suitable type. The flattening of the rolled portion 9! upon the'edge 90 is facilitated by the compressing member 43 which extends rearwardly and upwardly from the mounting member 24.

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed a novel and useful liemming device which is adapted to produce at high speed the automatic formation of a plurality of folds to produce a multilaminar edge on a curtain or similar panel and at the same time to produce a desired border and free edge connection of the fabric upon the body thereof. By virtue of the movement of certain of the parts, the starting of the production of the various folds is a simple and convenient matter and owing to the shape and arrangement of the parts and their co-action, minor irregularities in the fabric are automatically compensated for so that continuous highspeed production of panel edges may occur.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A hemmer comprising: a bottom plate; a top plate; a conically shaped free edge folding element connected to said top and bottom plates, at one edge of said bottom plate; a panel edge folding element spaced from said free edge folding element and disposed parallel thereto; said panel edge folding element having a lower portion interconnected with a second parallel edge of said bottom plate, and being free of interconnection with said top plate; said top plate having means to resiliently urge the same upwardly toward the upper portion of said panel edge folding element; said panel edge folding element having an upper portion disposed substantially above said top plate which is downwardly opening and having a groove therein, a lower portion which is disposed substantially below said bottom plate and which is upwardly opening and having a I ment connected to said top and bottom plates,

second groove therein, and a third'portion connecting said upper and lower portions; an inner fold surface supporting member having a base plate; a conically shaped free edge folding element connected to said top and bottom plates, at one edge of said bottom plate; a panel edge folding element spaced from said free edge folding element and disposed parallel thereto; said panel edge folding element having a lower porportion which is secured to the upper surface tion interconnected with a second parallel edge of said bottom plate, and being free of interconnection with said top plate; said top plate having means to resiliently urge the same upwardly toward the upper portion of said panel edge folding element; said panel edge folding element having an upper portion disposed substantially above said top plate which is downwardly opening and having a groove therein, a lower portion which is disposed substantially below said bottom plate and which is upwardly opening and having a second groove therein, and a third portion conmeeting said upper and lower portions; an inner fold surface supporting member having a base portion which is secured to the upper surface of said top plate and a curled portion which is disposed adjacent the larger end of said conically shaped free edge folding element, and of such configuration as to correspond thereto; a second inner fold surface supporting member having a base portion which is securedto the upper surface of said top plate at points adjacent said panel edge folding element, and an elongated portion leading to the upper portion of said panel edge folding element.

3. A hemmer comprising: a bottom plate; a top plate; a conically shaped free edge folding eleat one edge of said bottom plate; a panel edge folding element spaced from said free edge folding element and disposed parallel thereto; said panel edge folding element having a lower portion interconnected with a second parallel edge of said bottom plate, and being free of interconnection with said top plate; said top plate having means to resiliently urge the same upwardly toward the upper portion of said panel edge folding element; said panel edge folding element having an upper portion disposed substantially above said top plate which is downwardly opening and having a groove therein, a lower portion which is disposed substantially below said bottom plate and which is upwardly opening and having a second groove therein, and a third portion connecting said upper and lower portions; an inner fold surface supporting member having a base portion which is secured to the upper surface of said top late and a curled portion which is disposed adjacent the larger end of said conically shaped free edge folding element, and of such configuration as to correspond thereto; a second inner fold surface supporting member having a base portion which is secured to the upper sur-,

face of said top plate at points adjacent said panel edge folding element, and an elongated portion leading to the upper portion of said panel edge folding element; and a third inner fold surface supporting member having a base portion secured to the upper surface of said top plate, and an operative portion which lies parallel to the elongated portion of said second inner fold surface supporting member.

HARRY SHERMAN.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,481,329 Ross Jan. 22,1924 1,875,578 Flugel et a1. Sept. 6, 1932 1,932,575 Cooper et al. Oct. 31, 1933 2,834,685 Almond et a1 Nov. 16, 1943 

